Personal Ethics and Values
Kennedy Tapp
University Of Phoenix
Ethics in Management
My personal values development began in early childhood, basically at my parents' knee. I feel that is where most people begin the process of defining and learning ethics and ground rules. I was raised in a home of free thinkers, where we were encouraged to express our opinions, thoughts, and ideas. My parents taught me early on the important lesson that all people are created equal. They abhorred discrimination on any front. They laid a solid foundation in my childhood pertaining to the rights of others, whether or not we agreed with their views or lifestyles. My home had seven children and we were all given free rein to have input into decisions made at home. Of course, parental rule was the norm, but I was taught at an early age that my opinions and feelings had value and meaning. I would say that my parents were the guiding force behind my ethics and value system beliefs, and that I have built on the core beliefs learned as a child to form the system I have in place now.
Another basic ground rule I learned as a child was to consider all options and game plans to work out a problem or dilemma. I was taught to have an open mind and to be willing to explore different means of solving situations. I was taught not to get "stuck" in thinking there was only one way to approach a problem. This has benefited me greatly in the workplace as I am able and willing to think outside of the box.
As I grew older and became of school age I learned additional values from the classroom. Ethics regarding schoolwork and working as a team were reinforced on a daily basis. I learned for instance, that it is not ok to look at someone else's paper to get the right answer. It seems like a small thing but those types of ethics are required in everyday life and in the workplace. I learned the value of acting as part of a group, each with his own role to play and...